Reckoning

Jason Rodriguez and his cast and crew should be lauded. I have seen what some describe as excellent Indie films before that I would not waste the water to flush down the comode. Though, Production and cast were not of the A-list, this film was of good quality. The storyline was entertaining and well written. Mr. Rodriguez deserves to be financed on his next endeavor. I do not think the writing or direction are subpar. The scenery on location is pleasing. The addition of one or two recognizable names would have brought this film some deserved viewing and possibly distribution. I should like to see the next effort get a little better financing, so Mr. Rodriguez can have half a chance to be known.

There was good color and superb scenery (the real reason why an Easterner likes Westerns, anyway) but the story was not all that great. Even old Hopalong Cassidy movies gave us more realistic stories. I taped it off the Digital Channel and was about to abort the effort, when I saw Kate. Cheryl Lawson was one of the prettiest women I've seen in Westerns in ages, way back since the days of Dorothy Malone, Gail Davis and even prettier than Peggy Stewart or Barbara Stanwick (at their best). The real only good thing about this movie was Kate. All she had to do is stand still, where some actresses have to work like the devil to become noticed, like LD in "Citizen Ruth". Well, it's the truth!!

Perhaps the best way to view "Reckoning" is at 2X speed. Or maybe just as a series of stills. The dialog is almost inconsequential and the drawn out scenes, vignettes, transitions, establishing shots, etc., are gratuitous. Yes, it was pretty country and the cast is full of pretty people. but this western moved like a three-legged draft pony. I do like that two of the stars (one, the writer-director-editor-caterer) are stunt people. Good on them for trying to do something different. But, hey, where were the stunts? It certainly was not a drama one could sink his or her teeth into, like "The Hired Hand." So, a little more Peckinpah, a little less Hunt and Peck, please. If the lack of meaningful dialog was meant to remind us of The Man With No Nme, it did not. A less sluggish exposition might have hidden the flaws. Next time, leave the editing to people who understand pacing and I'll bet the editors will be happy to leave the stair falls to you. Oh, yeah: Where's the beef?!!